pig latin . . .

Posted by Quixie at 5:46 AM Read our previous post

Have you ever noticed how when someone calls you a "liberal" disdainfully, they have a weird sadistic gleam in their eye as though that word was a pejorative?
I think the best strategy is to smile and ask them if they know what the word actually means. They won't—if they did, they wouldn't be using it that way.

Remind them:

1 - favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties

2 — favorable to progress or reform

3 — free from prejudice or bigotry

4 — open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas

The word's etymology is :
c.1375, from O.Fr. liberal "befitting free men, noble, generous"
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Being called a liberal is a compliment. It is a positive word, an honorable word.

I resent the cooption of a perfectly fine English word by polemicists!! Why are they messing with my beautiful language???!!?? (argh!!!!)

. . . . ok . . . I feel better now.

o_Ó

Regarding the word "conservative":
I can't recall who it was that, when asked if he considered himself conservative, said, "What's there to conserve?", but that viewpoint resonates strongly with me.

peace

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(This post started off as a response to a post on Notes From Off Center, but I figured I'd post it here as well)
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